How to vote in Missouri
Missouri voter registration guide
Missouri voter registration deadlines
- Register to vote (online): 27 days before Election Day
- Register to vote (by mail): Postmarked 27 days before Election Day
- Register to vote (in person): 27 days before Election Day
Check your Missouri voter registration status
- If you can't remember if you're registered to vote, or you want to make sure your information is correct, you can check your Missouri registration using the Missouri voter registration lookup tool.
- If you're not registered to vote, or you need to update your voter registration information, follow the instructions below.
Missouri voter registration rules
To vote in Missouri you must:
- be a citizen of the United States
- be a resident of Missouri
- be 17.5 years old (you must be 18 by Election Day to vote)
- not be on probation or parole after conviction of a felony, until finally discharged from such probation or parole
- not be convicted of a felony or misdemeanor connected with the right of suffrage
- not be adjudged incapacitated by any court of law
- not be confined under a sentence of imprisonment.
Missouri online voter registration
- You can register to vote online if you have a Missouri driver's license, driver's permit, or state-issued ID card. You can only register online if you are on a touchscreen device, such as a mobile phone or a tablet. The Missouri online registration system doesn't work on a desktop or laptop computer.
- Visit the Missouri online voter registration tool.
- Fill out all the required fields.
- You will be registered to vote as soon as you finish the workflow.
- You should receive your voter registration card in the mail within 2-3 weeks. If not, you might want to follow up with your local election office.
- The deadline to register to vote online is 27 days before Election Day.
Missouri by-mail voter registration
- Download and fill out the National Voter Registration Form.
- Box 6 - ID Number: Enter your Missouri driver’s license number OR the last four digits of your social security number. If you don't have either number, write "NONE" here.
- Box 7 - Choice of Party: You do not need to register with a party to take part in that party’s primary election, caucus, or convention.
- Box 8 - Race or Ethnic Group: Leave blank.
- Print, date, and sign the form. If you do not have a printer, you can print the form out at any local library. If you do not have a stamp, you can buy one from any grocery store: just ask the cashier to sell you one.
- Mail your voter registration form to the mailing address below. For faster delivery, send the form directly to your local election office.
- Your voter registration form must be postmarked 27 days before Election Day
Missouri in-person voter registration
- Contact your local election office to find where to register to vote in person.
- Bring your Missouri driver's license or state ID. If you don't have one, bring one photo ID issued by any state or the federal government, and bring one document that shows your name and current address. Acceptable documents include a recent utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, residential lease, or any government document that shows your name and address.
Missouri same day registration
Missouri does not have same day registration.
Registering to vote in Missouri with a felony conviction
If you have been convicted of a felony and would like to register to vote, please visit Restore Your Vote. They will help you determine your eligibility and guide you through the process.
Missouri absentee and mail ballot guide
Missouri absentee ballot overview
Absentee ballots and mail ballots are the same thing, and the process for getting one is straight forward.
- Request your ballot by the deadline
- Receive your in ballot in the mail
- Return your ballot by the deadline
Missouri absentee deadlines
- Earliest day to apply: January 1
- Request deadline (online): N/A
- Request deadline (by mail): Received 13 days before Election Day
- Request deadline (in person): 1 day before Election Day
- Deadline to return your ballot (by mail): Received by Election Day
- Deadline to return your ballot (in person): Received by Election Day
Missouri absentee ballot rules
You can vote using an absentee ballot in Missouri if:
- you will be away from home on Election Day
- you are incapacitated or confined due to illness or physical disability
- you are the caretaker for an incapacitated or physically disabled person
- you are restricted by religious belief or practice
- you will be working at a polling place on Election Day that is not your designated polling place.
- you are incarcerated but not yet convicted of a crime
- You are a participant in the Department of State's Address Confidentiality Program
Missouri online ballot request
Missouri does not allow you to request your ballot online.
Missouri by-mail ballot request
- Download the Missouri absentee ballot application.
- Fill out all of the required fields.
- Print the application.
- Sign and date your application. This is very important.
- Mail or hand-deliver your completed application directly to your local election office as soon as possible, but no later than the deadline.
- If it’s close to the deadline, call your local election office and see if they will let you submit your application via email or fax.
- The deadline to apply by mail is: Received 13 days before Election Day.
Missouri in-person ballot request
- Visit your local election office.
- Ask the clerk to give you an absentee ballot application.
- Fill out all of the required fields.
- Sign and date your application.
- The deadline to apply in person is: 1 day before Election Day.
After you receive your ballot
- Carefully read and follow the instructions, and fill out all required fields.
- Sign and date the outside envelope.
- Mail or hand-deliver your ballot to your local election office.
- If you mail your ballot, it must be received by Election Day.
- If you hand-deliver your ballot, it must be received by Election Day.
- If you miss the deadline – or forget to sign the outside envelope – your vote will not be counted.
Missouri absentee ballot ID requirements
- ID required when requesting a mail-in ballot: The signature on your absentee ballot application will be compared to the signature on your voter registration card to ensure they match.
- ID required when returning a mail-in ballot: Your voted ballot must be notarized unless you voted absentee due to disability or an illness.
Missouri early voting guide
Missouri early voting dates
- Early voting starts: N/A
- Early voting ends: N/A
What to bring
You must show ID at the polls, but it does not need to be a photo ID. Acceptable forms of photo ID include a non-expired ID issued by the State of Missouri or the federal government, a tribal ID, or a student ID issued by an accredited Missouri college or university. If you don't have a photo ID, you can show a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, or official government document that shows your name and current address.
Missouri voter ID guide
ID requirements for voting in person
You must show ID at the polls, but it does not need to be a photo ID. Acceptable forms of photo ID include a non-expired ID issued by the State of Missouri or the federal government, a tribal ID, or a student ID issued by an accredited Missouri college or university. If you don't have a photo ID, you can show a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, or official government document that shows your name and current address.
ID requirements when requesting an absentee or mail ballot
The signature on your absentee ballot application will be compared to the signature on your voter registration card to ensure they match.
ID requirements when returning an absentee or mail ballot
Your voted ballot must be notarized unless you voted absentee due to disability or an illness.
ID requirements to register to vote online
You can register to vote online if you have a Missouri driver's license, driver's permit, or state-issued ID card. You can only register online if you are on a touchscreen device, such as a mobile phone or a tablet. The Missouri online registration system doesn't work on a desktop or laptop computer.
Local election office
Contact your local election office if you have questions.
Statewide election office
This is the statewide agency that is ultimately responsible for Missouri elections. You can contact them with questions, but your local election office will probably respond faster.
Secretary of State P.O. Box 1767 Jefferson City, MO 65102‐1767